James d



(No Model.)

J. D. EWING.

WATCH CASE SPRING.

,739. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

FIG-.2.

INYENTORZ N. PUERS. PWO-Uthograpbnr. Wanhinglon. n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. EYVING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEYSTONEIVATCH CASE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WATCH-CASE SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,739, dated August27, 1889.

Application filed March 21, 1889. Serial No- 304,1'70. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES D. EWING, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inlVatch-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to watch-cases; and it consists of certainimprovements, which are fully set forth in the following specification,and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

More particularly my invention has reference to the springs for thecovers or lids of a watch by which they are held closed or forced open;and it consists of certain improvements in securing the springs in thewatch-center.

Heretofore it has been the custom in the manufacture of watches tofasten the springs into the center of the watch-case by means of smallscrews extending through the center into the thick part of the spring.This requires considerable labor and great accuracy in locating thescrew-hole in the spring, which is drilled therein before the spring isplaced in position, and it frequently happens that the hole in thespring and the hole in the center do not exactly fit over one another,in which case another hole In ust be drilled in the spring.

My invention is intended to do away with the use of screws and thenecessity of drilling the holes, and the means whereby this object isaccomplished is more fully disclosed in the description of the drawings,in which Figure l. is a plan view of a watch-case with the coverremoved, having a portion of the upper surface of the center cut away.Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the same upon the line so an of Fig.1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved spring.

A is the watch-case center, and B the curved spring which is securedtherein. This spring illustrated is the case-spring, and is providedwith the catch C at its end, which is depressed by the push-pin in thestem D to release the cover or lid in the usual manner. This spring Bhas the ordinary thick or heavy portion 1), by which it is properlysupported in the center.

E is a groove or recessed portion near one surface of the thick part ofthe spring, and F is a small slit or out made in the thin wall formed bythe groove E. The edges cof this thin wall of metal formed by the slitor cutE are turned up or raised a little, as shown in the drawings,forming a slightly raised spring part upon the surface of the thick partof the 5 5 spring 13. The groove-slit F and raised edges 6 are formedbefore the spring is tempered, so that after tempering a strong springis formed of the edge e, and as this spring 6 inclines upwardly it isapparent that the case or snap 6o spring may readily and with case beinserted within the center, while the pressure of the spring-edges eagainst the under surface of the center will hold the spring firmly inposi tion after it has been inserted. This slit F 6 may be dispensedwith and the spring part formed simply by forcing up the thin wall ofmetal formed by the groove or recessed portion E; but I prefer theconstruction shown in which the slit F is used, as it is found to give amuch greater spring eifect, and is thereby better adapted to hold thespring B more securely in place.

IVhile in the drawings my invention is shown applied to thecatch-spring, by which the lid or case is held closed, it is apparentthat it is equally adaptable to the lift-spring, whiclnas in allwatches, presses upon the hinge of the lid and forces it open when it isreleased from the catch C. This spring is placed upon the other side ofthe watch-center, as shown in dotted lines in the drawings, and isidentical so far as my invention is concerned with the catch-spring.

IVhile I prefer the details of construction which are here shown, it isapparent that they may be modified in many ways without departing fromthe principle of my invention, the object of myinvention being to securethe springs in the watch-case center by the 'friction made by thepressure of the spring against the center, which pressure is produced byconverting a portion of the heavy part of the watch-case spring into aspring, or by securing on the said heavy part an independent 5 spring,which spring portion or addition is so shaped and located as to admit ofthe watchcase spring being easily introduced into the center and yet tohold it there firmly after it has been so introduced. Ioo

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a watch-case, the combination,with the Watchcase center having asmooth or unnotched surface, of a curved spring to control the cover orlid fitting into said center and 1 having integral with itself orattached to itself a spring portion or addition adapted to press uponthe smooth portion of said center to secure said watch-case springtherein.

2. In a watch-case, the combinatiomwith the Watch-case center having asmooth annular surface, of a curved spring to control the cover or lidand having a non-flexible or body part fitting Within said center,provided with a spring portion adapted to press upon said center tosecure said spring therein by direct pressure between the spring andcenter.

JAMES D. EWING.

Witnesses:

H. L. ROBERTS, Jos. B. WILLI'rs.

